Research Pyramid
As you progress through the semester, you will move up the pyramid. You start at the bottom of the pyramid, building your foundation with general web sources (including wikipedia). This foundation will help you understand your topic, including vocabulary and important people/organizations.
As you start to find and read better sources, you will be building your understanding of the topic, and finding your area of focus. Once you have found your focus, you will start to develop your own perspective on the topic.
During this time, the sources become of higher quality and more relevant to your topic. By the time you turn in your final paper, your sources should be the best ones available to support your claim.
Just as "the pyramids weren't built in a day," it will take time to develop your understanding of the topic. Give yourself plenty of time, and know the more time you devote, the better your final paper will be.
